Return to Leyte
by Gillan1220
Summary: November 8, 2013: Typhoon Haiyan makes landfall in Leyte, Samar, and northern Cebu. Joe and Donnie return to Leyte, the place where General MacArthur promised to return to the Philippines, to take part in Operation Damayan following the damage caused by the monster typhoon.
1. Chapter 1

**Originally set years after the ending of Cymil20's Medal of Honor: Setting Sun where an elderly Joe and Dnnie Griffin return to Leyte to help the Filipinos after the effect of Typhoon Yolanda.**

 **This is a special story released to commemorate the 5th anniversary of Typhoon Haiyan (Filipino: Yolanda).**

 **Dedicated to those thousands affected by Typhoon Yolanda. We will never forget you.**

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 **Newark, New Jersey, USA**

 **November 8, 2013**

 _Typhoon Haiyan makes landfall in the Philippines today. The provinces of Leyte, Samar, and northern Cebu are going to be affected. President Aquino has mobilized the Armed Forces to help in the relief and recovery of Tacloban._

 _Meanwhile, the United States Pacific Command has pledged to deploy its forces in the region to assist the Philippines in this time of need._

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 _After the initial landfall of Haiyan, majority of Leyte and Samar have been destroyed. Trees have been uprooted like matchsticks while dead bodies litter the streets. There is no electricity and water while basic commodities remain scarce. The situation is grimm here in Tacloban while residents await for help coming from the government and the military._

99 year old Joe Griffin sat in his home watching the CNN broadcast showing the footage of the destruction of Haiyan. It deeply pained him how the country he had liberated roughly 70 years ago was devastated by a typhoon. Leyte had a special place in his heart as it was the place where General Douglas MacArthur landed in his promise to liberate the Philippines from the yoke of the Japanese. Now, even the Leyte landing memorial was destroyed by the storm. His wife Carol stayed by his side, comforting him.

Joe's children were separate. His eldest son, named Raymond, 60 years old, live in New York City. He was veteran of the Port Authority Police of New York and New Jersey took part in the recovery of the World Trade Center following the September 11th attacks. Raymond lived with his wife. The two had children named Matthew and Thomas, born in 1991 and 1996 respectively.

Meanwhile, the other child, a daughter named Caroline after his wife, 55 years old, lived with them since she wanted to take care of her parents. They had three children born in 1989, 1992, and 1997. Currently, everyone was busy with their lives. The storm affecting the Philippines was broadcasted throughout all major news networks and social media platforms, something his millennial grandchildren knew so much.

Somehow, the elderly Joe felt that he needed to help the Filipino people in this time of need. He wanted to donate to local charity drives. However, something inside him told him he needed to return to Leyte and help in the relief operations. Joe and his brother Donnie still had a portion of the Yamashita treasure they had obtain from Shima 70 years back. The OSS then the CIA and the Veteran's Affairs allowed them to keep 30% of the wealth. It had provided them stability throughout their entire life. During the Cold War to the War on Terror, the brothers used their wealth to support wounded troops coming from Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Lebanon, the Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere.

Despite his old age, Joe was surprisingly healthy. He then called his family to gather in the kitchen, where he told his plan of going to the Philippines in a few days. This shocked his wife Carol and his daughter and his grandchildren. They were concerned his old age would be very difficult. However, he insisted and wanted to be an inspiration of people who give back to others in times of help. They then agreed that Joe and Carol would return to Leyte. Joe prepared to spend a portion of the Yamashita treasure for relief goods and for the stay in the Philippines. They contacted the U.S. Embassy in Manila of their arrival to the Philippines in a few days.

He then phoned Donnie, 95 years old, who was living in Connecticut with his African-American wife Lucy. Donnie was more than willing to go back to the Philippines since Leyte was the place he was wounded-in-action with some Japanese holdouts.

The elderly brothers then booked to go to the Philippines on November 13, 2013. With them were some representatives of FEMA, Veteran's Affairs officials, and some military personnel. The news of two almost centenarian World War II veterans returning to Leyte would soon take the media like a wave.


	2. Chapter 2

**November 9, 2013**

 _"The USS George Washington aircraft carrier will leave Hong Kong today en route to the Philippines to assist in the relief and recovery in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan. She will be joined by the rest of her carrier strike group. U.S. Marines based on Okinawa expected to arrive in Villamor Air Base on November 10th."_

 _"The United Kingdom, France, and Germany have pledged to deliver several tones of relief goods to the Philippines."_

 _"In an effort to ease the South China Sea tensions, the People's Republic of China will deploy the Peace Ark hospital ship off the coast of Leyte alongside a $100,000 donation as a sign of goodwill."_

 _"Israel Defense Forces medical personnel to set up mobile hospital in Bantayan Island and northern Cebu."_

 _"Meanwhile, the situation in Tacloban continues to deteriorate. Looting has become prevalent in the streets as vastly overstretched and undermanned police and military personnel fail to maintain order as citizens desperate for basic commodities break in to stores and supermarkets."_

The images of the desperate citizens looting supermarkets and warehouses was heartbreaking for Joe. If one thinks of it, these people were the descendants of the people he liberated back then from 1944-1945. He even saw elderly amongst the crowd, probably someone who was still young during the time of the Liberation of the Philippines. Joe could not help but shed a tear for the people of the Philippines. In fact, the whole world was with the Filipinos. Actors, celebrities, athletes, and ordinary people came to help or donate.

Joe's extended family already prepared for his trip back to the Philippines. The plane would stop by a Tokyo then to Manila where he and Donnie will be met by U.S. Embassy staff and Air Force and Marines that would take them on a C-130 flight to Mactan International Airport in Cebu, then finally to Tacloban. This was part of the Veteran's Affairs coordinating with the Department of Defense and the U.S. Embassy in Manila about two World War II veterans that took part in the Liberation going back to the place where they fought. It was bound to hit the media for sure.

For the elderly Joe and Donnie, they were not there for the spotlight. They were there because of the special place that Leyte had in their lives and to fact they were doing the people of Leyte another extraordinary favor out of their kind hearts.

* * *

 _ **Two days later...**_

 **November 11, 2013**

 **John F. Kennedy International Airport**

 **Brooklyn, New York, USA**

Joe and Donnie got on the flight accompanied by some of their children. The wore their distinct World War II veteran caps, causing some praises and respects from the travelers passing by. The TVs on the screen continuously showed the situation in Leyte, with footage of SH-60 Seahawks coming from the USS _George Washington_ and V-22 Ospreys landing in fields handing out supplies to locals.

Once in the plane, Joe and Donnie sat in the business class. Their elderly bodies needed the rest, as it would be roughly another 12-13 hour flight to Tokyo. Thankfully, the wealth of Shima's loot and the pension from Veteran's Affairs was able to cover it. As the plane took off from the Long Island, passing over the tall buildings of the Manhattan skyline, Joe took look out of the window. He appreciated the view of from his video. Turning to his brother Donnie, he then said: "Soon brother, in half a day, we'd be back to the Philippines."


	3. Chapter 3

_Countless forms of aid and relief continue to be shipped to the affected areas of the Philippines. The Filipino people and their fellow countrymen are forever thankful for how the world came to them in this time of need._

 _South Korea has promised to let some of its troops stay for the next six months in Leyte to aid in the reconstruction. After six months, another batch of troops would take their place. South Koreans have expressed sympathy for the Philippines, taking it as a sign of gratitude when the Philippines came to their aid as part of U.S.-led United Nations contingent during the Korean War, which saved their country from extinction._

 _The European Union doubles the amount of donation to the Philippines._

 _Locals have taken into their own hands their own relief drives as various charity stations are set up in malls and government buildings._

 _The South African Ambassador to the Philippines, speaking from an Philippines-South Africa exhibit held in the University of San Carlos in Cebu City, has stated South Africa would send relief, funds, and doctors to the affected regions._

 _In social media, the world is amazed how resilient the Filipino people are as viral photos are shared of affected residents smiling and putting everything back together despite the tragedies that occurred here. The hashtag #BangonPhilippines (English: #StandUpPhilippines or #RiseUpPhilippines) continues to resonate globally since the country was marred by warfare and turmoil for the past two months, namely the Zamboanga City siege in September and the Bohol earthquake in October._

 **November 12, 2013**

 **Ninoy Aquino International Airport**

 **Manila, Philippines**

The 12 hour difference between the United States and the Philippines meant that Joe and Donnie would enter another day after passing the international date line. It was another four flight from Tokyo to Manila, where upon arrival they would be met with Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr., whose term as ambassador to the Philippines was about to end, among some U.S. military personnel already in the country.

"Welcome back to the Philippines." One of their grandchildren said. The brothers looked at the tarmac, noticing the huge amount of C-130s coming from Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, and South Korea.

"It looks so different from the last time we came here." Joe said. The same area used to be Nichols Field when during World War II was heavily destroyed by both Japanese and American fighting in both phases of the Philippines campaign. A group of U.S. Embassy officials along with Ambassador Thomas arrived and greeted the two veterans and their families. There were also a group of journalists snapping photographs and taking videos of the two. The arrival of the WWII veterans that fought in Leyte caused a lot of fanfare among the Filipinos. Social media was abuzz with the two. Of course, the Filipino people were more than grateful from the international community.

"Mabuhay." said Ambassador Thomas shaking the hands. "Before anything, we in the U.S. Embassy would like to thank you for your service for the country and for the people of the Philippines whom you have liberated roughly 70 years ago." They were then led to podium for a short press conference. Despite their old age, they were able to understand and speak clearly.

Following the conference, the veterans and their families checked in a hotel right near the airport. The following day, they would be flying aboard a U.S. Marine C-130 (on their own request nonetheless, since they were former Marines) to Mactan-Cebu International Airport which has been used as a hub for various countries and their transport planes as a F.O.B. for further operations in Leyte and Samar.


End file.
